1. Field
The invention relates to a subscriber unit for a cellular communication system. The subscriber unit is operable to make data transmission based on specified conditions.
2. Background
For some time now cellular communication systems and other communication networks (referred to hereinafter simply as a “networks”) have offered so-called SMS (short message service) services to subscribers. SMS messages are text based and have proved popular with younger users in many countries and regions. As networks migrate from established second-generation (2G) technology to the next generation technology (3G) more networks will additionally offer so-called MMS (multimedia message service) services.
As the name suggests, MMS messages comprise multimedia messages which contain text, audio files, graphics animation, etc. Examples of such messages in 2G systems include e-mail, web pages and still images. Upcoming 3G systems have the ability to support messages and applications that are more media rich, including multi-user gaming and the transmission and reception of multimedia data representing video, sound clips, movie fragments, etc.
As with text based SMS services, users are now able to create their own MMS messages, and send and receive them from their contacts. Furthermore, additional services are available that allow MMS messages with rich multimedia content to be received from commercial content creators.
Equivalents to these applications have been available on PCs for some time, but their transfer to a wireless mobile environment presents new challenges and opportunities. The migration of wireless networks to packet switching has made possible virtual connections which give rise to the possibility of so-called “bandwidth-on-demand.” Packet switching can be employed to enable the user always to be connected to the network.
Although this increase in messaging capabilities brings many advantages, it will also bring with it a need for greater control over the transmission of SMS and MMS messages by the user, the network or both. From the perspective of the user cost is often a concern, and sending high data-volume messages, such as web pages, images and video, has the potential rapidly to incur high charges by the network. From the perspective of the network, the problem is one of loading. During peak times, the bursty nature of high data-volume messages may cause localized network loading problems, which, in turn, may affect the quality of service provided to users. This is going to increase as more users migrate towards multimedia-rich packet-based services.
The invention aims to overcome or at least mitigate the above and associated problems. To this end, the invention aims to provide for data transmission based on specified conditions. That is to say, an aim is to provide automatic activation of an SMS, MMS or other data transmission based on, among other things, any one or more of a date stamp, a time stamp, geographical position, or network loading. The specified conditions may therefore be dictated by the network or by the user of a subscriber unit or by a combination of the two.